Friday, June 27, 2008

When I left work around 5 yesterday, I had an AWFUL sinus headache.As I was driving offsite, I blindly dug around in my purse until I found my new pack of sinus headache OTC stuff, and popped a couple.

I ran a few errands, went home and started dinner, and noticed I felt kind of weird. A couple of hours later, I was feeling really, really weird – slack-jawed, impaired motor skills, STU. PID. – and then I remembered taking the sinus meds. They always make me feel loopy, so I was relieved that I hadn’t taken it any earlier, and just went to bed early.

Woke up at 6 this morning, still feeling a little lightheaded. Whew, that’s some potent shit! When I was waiting in the drive-thru at Starbucks this morning, I dug the Aleve box out of my purse, and was greeted by the proud proclamation, “One Tablet = 12 Hours Of Relief!”

Thursday, June 26, 2008

I had a wonderfully long phone conversation with Jamie last night, during which we watched I Love The New Millennium together in different time zones (don’t get me started on how Too Soon it is to be rehashing the first iPods and Super Size Me – I still have underwear I bought in 2003. And yet I watch.) Anyhow, there was a commercial break, and at the start of the first spot, I gasped in delight.

With the lovely Meryl Streep! And Colin Firth! And Amanda Seyfried! (I have a hetero girl crush on her – she is so amazing in Big Love. I didn’t know that she was in it until I started seeing the commercials, and that only multiplies my excitement.)

And yes, I fully realize how much potential for suck this has.BUT COME ON. It’s ABBA. You can’t go wrong with ABBA! Because they’re awesome! And a palindrome! Which is pleasing to my OCD nature!

If this doesn't make you want to dance around in lamé and platform shoes, you are dead inside, my friend.

Yesterday was a very busy day; at 3 p.m. I was starving, with no lunch and no prospects besides a Slimfast shake. A poke around my desk turned up only old stale crackers and some questionable granola. So I sucked it up and paid a buck for a pittance of Gardetto’s from the vending machine. On the way home I stopped at the grocery store to stock up on snacks and emergency lunches. $80 later (it’s a mistake to shop starving), I am now prepared with ample snackage, should I find myself stuck at work facing and nuclear war.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

It’s been a good week at my house – one of my student loans is now down to $16.10 (I can’t pay it off early, or I’m stuck with a $350 penalty, poo; it will just sit for a while now), and I only have $76 left on my Visa bill. Woot!To celebrate this financial, well not exactly “milestone”, but we’ll say highlight, I was going to reward myself with a long lunch and some shoe shopping (I know, I know – but I really do need a new pair of work shoes), but now the weather has turned sketchy and gray. So instead of new shoes and lunch of my choice, I’m getting a cold, gloomy office and a Slimfast. Oh, well.

I’ve had this song in my head for a couple of weeks, and it sort of matches my mood now. Here.

Monday, June 23, 2008

A momentous occasion...Sitemeter tells me that since March, I've had over a thousand hits! WOOT! That's small potatoes compared to most, but I can't help but feel a little proud.

Also, greetings to recent browsers who actually know me in real life, and forgive that I was cheating on them and my Livejournal, and getting a little sumthin-sumthin on the side with Blogger. Don't hate the playa, hate the game. Word.

I’m doing this backwards, in that I saw the movie first (which was okay; B-) and now I’m reading the book. I’m a week in and halfway through its 672 pages (whew!), and I’m diggin’ it. Dude: The Hills ain’t got nothin’ on this stuff. Joo. See.

It’s a collection of essays written by women, reflecting on sex, marriage, motherhood, and feminisim. I’ve had this lying around for a couple of months – the essay format makes it good for a quick pre-sleep read. I’ve enjoyed reading what other women have to say about their personal struggles with their feminist ideals vs. also wanting some of the more traditional aspects of wife- and womanhood (or not).

This PBS documentary follows a rural Nebraskan husband and wife over the course of three years in the early 1990’s as they struggle to keep their farm and their marriage intact. I’m kind of a sucker for documentaries – they make up nearly half my Netflix queue – and J wonders how I can watch them when they are typically bleak and depressing (mostly true). I like having the window into someone else’s existence from the comfort of my couch. These people struggled to just put food on the table – one month, after paying for farm supplies, rent, and bills, they had $20 left for groceries. For the month. TWENTY BUCKS. I spend that on fancy cheese in one trip to the store. It puts into perspective how fortunate I am: my irritation over potential penalties for paying off my student loans too early is a blessing compared to this woman having to go beg one of her creditors, face to face, to extend the terms of her loan two more years. The debt? $800.

I’d forgotten that I’d ordered some music from Amazon until I saw the package at my back door next week. Yay, Christmas! Now what the hell is this?

· Catching Tales by Jamie CullumI bought the album Twentysomething a couple of years ago and liked it, though it took me a couple of times to warm up to it. I’ll admit to being kind of a pushover for a guy behind a piano, and I love the slight gravel of his voice. I’m still only on my second spin of the album, but I’m digging it. Nice and jazzy, without the pretense.Good for: Having a glass of wine while you’re cooking dinner

· Betcha Bottom Dollar by The Puppini SistersI read about this album in Bitch, and was intrigued. Eh, it’s okay. The traditional WWII-era arrangements are nice, but the novelty of an Andrews Sisters-esque trio doing Kate Bush, Blondie, and Beyonce covers (yes, you read that right) only carries it so far. If you’re not already a fan of tight girl-harmonies of the 40’s, I don’t know that you’ll care for it. I do like their version of Java Jive, though.Good for: Girlying up for a night of dinner and dancing

· Hey Eugene! By Pink MartiniAnother one I read about in Bitch, but I’d heard of Pink Martini other places too (though I can’t remember where now). Not at all what I expected, but I kind of like it. Some nice horn and guitar arrangements, and beautiful vocals on the foreign language tracks. Title track is unexpectedly catchy, in a modern Broadway kind of way. Mellow and lounge-y.Good for: A swanky dinner reception (should you ever find yourself giving one)

P.S. While getting links for this post, I stumbled upon this – I can vouch that Mexican Coca-Cola is The Shit.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

It’s been a rough week. I think I’ll leave early and go buy some shoes.

I’m carpooling again, but now only Mon-Wed, so I relished the chance to sleep in a bit this morning. That also means I got REAL STARBUCKS this morning, instead of having to settle for the subpar junk at the cafeteria cart. Oh luscious mocha, I delight in your lovely chocolaty goodness; I would bathe in you if it didn’t give me second-degree burns.

I had a giggle driving in this morning:I ended up behind some little four-door sedan, something a teenager would have as a first car. As I approached, I saw that there were glass-chalked letters across the rear window:

Aw, poor dude – his car got tagged! I used to do that stuff to my friends all the time in high school, but I at least refrained from profanity (kids these days…).

Then, as I got closer and the glare disappeared, I saw that the lettering actually read:

And it was some perky soccer mom driving, with her other windows decorated to advertise ASSIST, some kind of community philanthropy project.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Thursday, June 12, 2008

My daily Starbucks habit is a well-known weakness and often fodder for my posts.Add this one to the many entries devoted to those gods of caffeination.

My walk from the parking lot to my building is kind of a long one – probably 200 yards over curbs and zigzagging around cars. Since I carry my coffee in, this trek would invariably lead to scorching hot liquid slopping out of the hole on top. So I started asking for a sticker over the mouthpiece – this worked well enough to at least get me to my desk, as the coffee would often loosen the adhesive, but there would be sticky residue left, and I was always paranoid about it being carcinogenic or something – how sad would it be to get cancer from sticker adhesive on your coffee cup?

Anyway, my Starbucks of choice recently introduced what they call a splashguard – it’s essentially medium-hard green plastic swizzle stick, with a notch towards the top so it fits nice and snug into the hole in the mouthpiece, and prevents the precious coffee commodity from slopping out. (It’s also got an outline of their mermaid holding a steaming cup of coffee on a tab at the top. Cute!) And it is awesome. I have a hard time with my words before 8 a.m., so I always ask for a “grande nonfat no-whip mocha with a thingy”, and bless them, the baristas know what the fuck I’m talking about.

In addition to the intended spill-prevention function, the splashguards are also very nice to chew on while thinking. I keep that thing and gnaw on it at my desk for most of the day. And it’s disgusting. And it’s probably terrible for my teeth. But it helps me think, even if I look like the suburban equivalent to a hillbilly chewing on a piece of straw.

There is no other point to this post, aside from extolling the virtues of a piece of plastic. It’s the little things, people!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

What would I do with five million dollars?· Pay off everyone we owe – the last teeny bit of credit card debt, my student loans, and the house· Take care of our families – pay off our parents’ mortgages, give each of our siblings a tidy sum, start college funds for our niece and nephew (present and future), and our future children· Build our dream house just outside Austin, and retire there

What would I do with five thousand dollars?· Pay off the last of the credit card debt, put a chunk towards my student loans· Fly to visit Jamie· Let J buy that pile-of-junk project car he’s been bugging me about

What would I do with five hundred dollars?· Buy a new chocolate brown ottoman· Replace the windshield on my car· Go out to dinner

What would I do with five bucks?· Buy some Reese’s Pieces· Buy a Coke· Spend the rest on scratch-offs, and hope for one of the above

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Monday, June 9, 2008

I got my period, making it the first time in nearly 10 years that my body has ovulated and menstruated without hormonal prodding or intervention via The Pill or other assorted drugs. I was shocked, to the point where I kind of forgot what to do. Wait, what did that pamphlet from 6th grade Girls Health Assembly say? Tell the nurse? Stock up on Midol? (To this day, I associate the work “pamphlet” with maxi pads. Weird.)

So the first thing I did, after taking care of business, was text my bf Jamie – “OMG, I think I got my period”, to which her response was “I’ve never been so happy about a period’s arrival!!!!”. J was pleased but unruffled – perhaps a little disappointed, since we were planning on having The Sex last night, and I am not a fan of period sex. Sorry dude – try again in 3-5 days.

And so I’m wishing, hoping, thinking, praying (I’ve been dying to link to that, just for an excuse to watch it again) that things regulate so hopefully we can continue with the babymaking this fall without the hormones mess again. So after further confirmation this morning that Yes, Aunt Flo Has Really Arrived, my ovaries got a pep talk. Come on girls, you can do it! I believe in you! Keep squeezing out those eggs!

I realize that many of you may not care about my menses, and I’m not asking you to – just be happy that I am happy, and leave it at that. :)

*********************I was up here at work most of the day on Saturday, and got so much done, and was so relieved because of it, that I skipped down the (empty) halls as I left. Either I’m not skip-worthy happy nearly enough, or I am old and out of shape, because that shit was tiring. I am choosing to believe that it’s because I’m just jaded and down-trodden. Because that’s somehow preferable to admitting that I’m a lardass.

**********************I’ve had this in my head for the past, like, 2 weeks – here, now it’s yours too.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Why do I keep checking blogs I don't like because I find their content sometimes mildly offensive, and not in the "challenging my perceptions" way, but in the "totally ignorant" way? Hmmmm....

I had a guy from Japan email me and call me [My real name]-san. It totally gave me a warm fuzzy. It doesn't take much these days, and that either means that I am mellowing to the point where I'm seeing the good and lovely in the small things, or that I am incredibly desparate for approval. I'm thinking it's the latter.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

So earlier this morning, I got a phone call from a guy I work with – he asked me to cancel his training scheduled for this afternoon, as he had a DOG emergency he had to attend to. I was all, “Sure, no problem!”, but I was thinking, “What the hell is D.O.G.? He can’t mean the only D.O.G. I know. Another fucking acronym I’m supposed to memorize and understand. [grumble grumble grumble]”. Then he continues, “Yeah, I’ve had him for ten years – he wasn’t himself this morning, so I came back home to check on him, and now he can’t walk, so I’m going to take him to the emergency vet clinic.” And then I felt like a dumbass: One, for not realizing that he meant DOG as in a canine companion, and not another one of the endless list of acronyms I use on a daily basis; Two, for mentally griping when history shows that I am a big wussy sucker over my own pets.I’m sorry, Doug – please go take care of your puppy. Give him a good belly rub from me, and tell him I said “Who’s a good boy? Yes, him’s a goooood booooy…”

*******I have ten things on my To-Do List for the rest of this week, over half of which are odious, several-monotonous-hours-worth of crap that I’ve been putting off, because I just couldn’t deal. And I still Can’t Deal. Most of the time it’s for the better that I work in an open, 6-person cubicle – guilt keeps me busy (or at least busy-looking, like right now as I’m typing this post). But there are times when I need to focus and buckle down and Get Some Shit Done, but my little squirrel brain keeps getting distracted – “Hey, cookies next door! And wait, is that thunder? Better check the radar online, or look out the window to see if it’s getting dark. The windows at home need to be cleaned – wait, make a list of Things To Do this weekend. Oh wait, we should hang out with M and E this weekend – email her and see what they’re doing Friday night. Oh wait, I was supposed to email that guy about that meeting on Friday. Oh wait, Friday – I’ve go to leave early for a doctor’s appointment – shit, I should call and reconfirm that. Oh damn, I think my new insurance card is somewhere in that pile of mail at home. I need to organize that when I get home tonight. Wait, what am I gonna cook for dinner? I should stop at the store on the way home. Hmmm, what else do we need? Eggs…bread…milk…”, and on and on and on and OH MY GOD BRAIN PLEASE SHUT THE FUCK UP. See, now I’ve wasted 3 more minutes describing to you my minute-by-minute though process for a typical workday.

Sometimes I honestly think I’ve got mild ADD or something. I clean my house following the same logic as above – I have at least 3 or 4 different chores going at the same time. I’ll start some towels in the washer, I’ll spray the tub with cleaner and let it soak, I’m loading the dishwasher, I’m sorting laundry – a little bit more each time I pass through the bedroom. I need to find a Bad Doctor to get me some Ritalin or something.

Adderrall is the only substance I’ve ever taken that was not prescribed to me. And get this, it was when I was in college, to study for a final exam. La-da-dee-da-dee, Gin likes to party!

It’s now 4 o’clock, and I will tackle the two quickest and easiest tasks on my list, so I can leave soon and feel like I have actually gotten something accomplished, and give myself a gold star for the day.

Oh, and one more thing - remember how I was all feeling guilty about going, like, a week not posting here, or something? Well, I checked my personal blog, and realized that it was coming up on an ENTIRE MONTH that I hadn't posted. And that made me feel like shit, because although you all are lovely, my other blog is for my very close friends, and I'd totally been ignoring them. So you should feel the Post Love. Or something.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Emails and voicemails and meetings, oh my!

This morning I was greeted by 70+ real, Oh-God-Please-Take-Care-Of-This-Right-Away emails, half a dozen voicemails, a stack of papers on my chair, and three meetings to prepare for tomorrow after ONE SINGLE DAY out of the office. Damn.

We drove to Mississippi on Friday, came back yesterday, and the short time we were there I was busy, and stayed up late visiting with cousins and family I hadn't seen in years. Between the running around and the driving and the heat and only getting 5 hours of sleep each night in a strange bed, plus granting my husband some perfunctory married sex last night, I am totally exhausted. I am priming myself with a giant coffee with two extra shots of espresso, and sooooo much looking forward to collapsing into bed as soon as I get home sometime tonight.

Bear with me as I struggle to keep my head above water the next few days - maybe by Wednesday my brain will not have shriveled up like a raisin, and I will have something fun to talk about.